The Planes of Fame Air Museum was founded in 1957 by Edward Maloney. It is the oldest independently operated aviation museum in the United States.

The museum collection spans the history of manned flight. We house over 150 Aircraft and displays. Many of the Aircraft are flyable, including the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-40 Warhawk, B-25 Mitchell, P-38 Lightning, F-86 Sabre & Russian Mig 15.

Our Mission is to preserve aviation history, inspire interest in aviation, educate the public, and honor aviation pioneers and veterans.

We are a non profit 501 (c)(3) organization that has grown since 1957 through donations. We receive no monies from the government. For more info please visit: http://www.planesoffame.org

For almost 100 years and the advent of flight, man has sought to develop an aircraft that could be both offensive and defensive, and thus allow airborne supremacy. From the early 1900’s until after World War II, these aircraft were referred to as “Pursuit” types, and shared a “P” in their designations. Examples were the P-40 Tomahawk, the P-38 Lightning and the P-51 Mustang. After that war and the formation of the U.S. Air Force as a branch separate from the U.S. Army, the designations of these types were changed to “Fighters” having an “F” prefix. Examples are the F-84 and the F-86. Classic Fighters of America focuses almost entirely on Pursuit/Fighter aircraft employed by the U.S. forces in the past.

North American B-25J-25-NC, serial number 44-30733, nicknamed “Sandbar Mitchell” after it crashed on a Tanana River sandbar near Fairbanks, Alaska in June of 1969. With the help of skilled volunteers this B-25J will once again grace the skies over America in honor of the 340th Bomb Group. After spending 44 years resting on the Tanana River Sandbar, Sandbar Mitchell was recovered on July 5, 2013. She is now being restored in the Warbirds Of Glory Museum shop in Michigan.

In addition to the rare flying WWII and Korea warplanes on display at the impressive hangar of the Dixie Wing, there is a room dedicated to the display of artifacts and memorabilia of the Wars of the U.S. in the last century. On display at various points in the museum are mannequins wearing authentic uniforms of WWII. One cabinet displays WWI articles.

Several cabinets display finely crafted plastic models of Allied and Axis warplanes of the last century. This collection was crafted by the late James McConnell of Big Canoe, GA and donated to the Wing by his widow, Betty. A large collection of WWII toys is on display donated by Mr. Richard McNary. During the war, little or no metal was available for toys, so manufacturers used wood, cardboard and even plaster of paris to make these toys.

The centerpiece of the Museum is a 10 foot model of the “USS Enterprise” (CVA-6), the most decorated US warship of WWII and veteran of all but 2 major battles. It is displayed with scale models of U.S. carrier aircraft of WWII.

Various cabinets contain weapons and gear of American, British, French, Russian, German, Italian, and Japanese military services.

A large model of the “USS Missouri” battleship is displayed along with a freighter, the “Aldebarau”. Above these is a very large model of the CAF B-17 “Texas Raider”.

Aviation art by Col Mark Baldwin is displayed on the walls of the Museum along with newspapers of WWII and military insignias.

Sevearl aircraft engines are displayed including a Fairchild “Ranger”, an Allison V-12, a Rolls Royce “Merlin” V-12, a rare Guiberson diesel radial engine and the large Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp R-2800 used on the F4U Corsair fighter-bomber

The museum items supplement the stars of the Dixie Wing Hangar. These fully operational airplanes include the Douglas SBD-5 “Dauntless” divebomber, the North American P-51 D “Mustang” fighter, the Goodyear FG-1D Corsair fighter, the North American LT-6D “Mosquito” spotter attack aircraft, the Fiarchild PT-19A primary trainer, the Aeronca L-16 liason and spotter aircraft, a North American SNJ advanced trainer and two replica Japanese aircraft: the “Zero” fighter and the “Kate” torpedo bomber, these last two built for the movie “Tora, Tora, Tora!”

Museum curators are Col Mark Baldwin and Col Walt Cantrell. The Dixie Wing and the Commemorative Air Force is a 501-c3 tax exempt organization. The museum is staffed by volunteers and supported mainly by donations.

The Museum is home to the 35th Division Museum. It includes 36 pieces of military equipment outside–airplanes, helicopters, tanks, artillery, jeeps, trucks, artillery tractors, etc. The Museum includes over 125 inside exhibits, including exhibits on the Civil War, Indian Wars in Kansas, Spanish-American War, Mexican Border War of 1916, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm-Desert Shield, and the Global Wars on Terrorism–Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The Museum includes the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame, a MAS*H replica of the “Swamp,” an original oil portrait of Adolph Hitler, a Snowgoose UAV, and Maj Daniel Forbes.

The Combat Air Museum is a non-profit institution dedicated to the creation of facilities and resources for the education of the local and regional communities through the collection, preservation, conservation and exhibition of aircraft, information, artifacts, technology and art associated with the military aviation history of the United States of America.

Founded in the 1970’s, The Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum has a continually growing collection of over 45 historic warbirds from the beginnings of aviation to the present day. The VAC is a 501(3)c educational organization dedicated to the preservation of, education about and commemoration of Warbirds from all eras and the men and women who flew, maintained and fought in them.

Pappy Boyington Field Museum is dedicated to preserving local aviation histoy and the efforts of veterans and aviators who have sacrificed and contributed to preserving the integrity and peace to which the United States has been graced.

Pappy Boyington Field Museum preserves the military and aviation history of area residents. We are a federal and Idaho 501(c)3 charitable non-profit, and donations are tax deductible. We are looking for military scrapbooks and stories of local veterans. We also pay particular honor to locally born and raised WW2 Ace Greg “Pappy” Boyington.

The Alfred & Lois Kelch Aviation Museum, Inc. is located at the Brodhead Airport (C37), near Brodhead, Wisconsin. Housed in four hangars, the museum contains a unique collection of aircraft and automobiles from the 1920’s and 1930’s, many of which are one-of-a-kind or sole surviving examples. All of the aircraft are fully restored and most are flyable.

Liberty Aviation Museum is a newer museum that opened in July of 2012 at the Erie-Ottawa International Airport (KPCW Carl Keller Field) in Port Clinton, Ohio. Our museum consists our B-25 Mitchell, WWII bomber “Georgie’s Gal” built in 1945, recently restored by Aero Trader out of Chino, CA. (The B-25 Mitchell is currently away from the museum until late July 2015) Ground vehicles include a 1941 Dodge ambulance, 2 Jeeps, German 37mm AA gun, German Horch Truck, German Field Kitchen, German Kubel, 3 BMW Motorcycles, Tiger Tank Replica, Hetzer Tank Replica, Panther Tank Replica (currently undergoing restoration away from the museum), & 2 WWII PT boats under current restoration (Currently not available for public viewing until new hangar expansion opens after Memorial Day. View the PT 728 Thomcat facebook page for photos of the restoration of the boat! The PT-728 will be on display in the new hangar expansion when the building opens after Memorial Day. The sister boat, the PT-724 is in storage currently and not available for viewing) The PT-728 Thomcat will be available for boat experiences after restoration is completed! Don’t forget to check out the Tin Goose Diner attached to the museum! Open year round, open 7 days a week (7am-7pm), serving breakfast, lunch and dinner! You can fly in or drive in to visit us! When flying in, please radio the FBO to verify that our ramp is open for parking. If it isn’t, you can park at the airport and we have a shuttle that will bring you to our facility next door! Ford Tri-Motor rides are available.

In July 2007, we expanded into the North Terminal Building which is the former airline terminal. This wonderful expansion opportunity enabled us to more than double our exhibit space for aviation items and memorabilia of the 20th Century, enlarge our gift shop and library, add a multimedia theater room, and provide additional educational programs. Our hangar facility continues to be our restoration area along with hangar space for the flying aircraft. All of these areas are being paid for by non-government volunteer pledges and contributions.Tyler and East Texas have innumerable individuals who have had first-hand experience in historic aviation events during times of both peace and war. What a wonderful opportunity it is to share these individuals\’ testimonials and memorabilia with our community. An example of those East Texans who have served so ably in World War II is the late Museum member, Captain Elmer Dixson, USAF 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squad, 20th Air Force (the official photographers of Japan during World War II) whose history is presented in a museum book entitled \”From Tyler, Texas to Tokyo\”.

The Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook is a consortium of individuals and groups dedicated to advancing aviation and engineering. Our current operation is housed in Hangar One, a 6000 square foot facility at Bolingbrook\’s Clow International Airport, provided by the Village of Bolingbrook. This renovated building is home to our aircraft displays and a number of activities and programs. In addition to our growing museum collection of restored and replica aircraft, we also maintain ongoing restoration projects for future display. Volunteers are welcome! Day-to-day operating funds and supporting services come from memberships, individual donors, local businesses, and organized fundraising events and programs.We invite all those who have an interest in aviation, education, or community service to explore what we have to offer at the Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook’s Clow International Airport. There are many opportunities to volunteer, programs to participate in, and ways to support this exciting organization!

Located at Crève Coeur Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, the museum\’s collection centers around civil aircraft built in between the two World Wars, from 1916 to 1946. Several aircraft in the collection are the only extant models of their class.The museum is open to the public regularly, with scheduled tours and rides available.

Plans were laid early that the museum would not only be a place to display famous military and vintage aircraft, but would be a place in every way dedicated to telling and showing the rich and varied story of our region\’s aviation history. In the short time since the museum\’s dedication, the members have built a solid foundation, establishing a working museum with aircraft, restoration projects and a role in the region\’s promotion of aviation activities and air shows.The Dakota Territory Air Museum has already forged a place where the aviation history of our region can be shown. As our country and imaginations probe the depths of travel into space, we realize the speed with which changes are coming in aviation. Many of us remember, so short a time ago, when flying itself pushed at the boundaries of daring. It’s a memory to be preserved.The history of these changes not only signifies the giant strides that have been so quickly made over the years, but also points out the very special opportunity we have now – the opportunity to show our children and grandchildren what it was like, and point to what was done. The Dakota Territory Air Museum is dedicated to provide that opportunity.The members of the Dakota Territory Air Museum feel that now is the time to save and remember what came before, while at the same time pointing to the skies and what is to come.

In 1986, the Adjutant General\’s Department of Texas undertook to establish a museum and archival collection to tell the story of the Texas Military Forces. The following year the United States Army\’s Center for Miitary History sanctioned the creation of a military holding and museum to be located in Austin, Texas, at Camp Mabry, headquarters of the Texas Military Forces. Under the energetic leadership of Brigadier General John C.L. Scribner, work began to collect historic vehicles, artifacts and archival material for the proposed museum.In 1990, Major General William C. Wilson designated Building 6, originaly constructed in 1918 as a mess hall, as the museum\’s new home. Led by General Scribner, a group of talented and devoted volunteers raised the funds necessary to convert Building 6 into a museum. Working almost exclusively with a modest amout of donated funds, as well as their own tools and equipment, they designed and created the museum\’s exhibits. On November 14, 1992 the Texas Military Forces Museum opened to the public for the first time.Since its inception, the museum has amassed an impressive collection of historical material and now houses more that 10,000 three-dimensional artifacts, 6,000 books, 20,000 historic photographs, maore than three dozen historical military vehicles and artillery pieces, and over 600 linear feet of archival material. New items are added to this already significant collection each week.

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Vintage Aviation Publications is a company founded by a group of passionate Warbirds enthusiasts who love the history and technology Aviation Museums preserve for the public. It is our intention to play a role in safeguarding the heritage of these beautiful machines by providing increased awareness and education through the use of internet based digital media. Vintage Aviation Publications is the publisher of Warbird Digest and Warbirds News